In a game full of its share of controversy, hype and plenty of big plays, The New England Patriots came out victorious over the reigning Super Bowl Champions Seattle Seahawks in what turned out to be an instant classic, Super Bowl XLIX, 28-24.

The matchup between the Patriots high-octane offense and Seattle’s historic defense was one that was heavily anticipated.

Despite a slow offensive start for both teams, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady used a series of short and quick passes on the team’s first drive of the second quarter, eventually resulting in a touchdown to wide receiver Brandon LaFell to take a 7-0 lead.

Seattle responded midway through the second quarter as Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson launched a 44-yard strike to wide receiver Chris Matthews, his first career reception. Deep in New England territory, running back Marshawn Lynch pounded away at the Patriots defense. From three yards out, Lynch put the Seahawks on the board, tying the game at seven.

The game, however, was not tied for long. On the Patriots second scoring drive, Brady found tight end Rob Gronkowski a for a 22-yard touchdown.

Down, 14-7 with less than a minute in the first half, Wilson drove the Seahawks down the field inside the Patriots 10-yard line with a mere six seconds left in the half.

Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll elected to keep the offense out on the field instead of kicking the 28-yard field goal. The gamble paid off after Wilson hit Matthews for the game-tying touchdown to end the half.

The second half began and Wilson’s offense took the field again. After a 15-yard carry by Lynch, Wilson connected with Matthews again, this time for 45 yards over the middle. However, the drive only resulted in a field goal.

During New England’s very next drive, Seattle forced another turnover after picking off Brady for the second time. The Seahawks capitalized on Brady’s interception with Wilson leading his team down the field and connecting with wide receiver Doug Baldwin for another touchdown, giving the Seahawks the 24-14 lead.

Down 10, with only one quarter left, momentum had completely shifted and the Seahawks were in the driver’s seat. However, a nine-play touchdown drive led by Brady cut the lead to three.

Knowing that time was not on their side, the Patriots needed a defensive stand, and that is exactly what they got. New England forced a punt, giving Brady a chance to reclaim the lead.

Starting at their own 48-yard line, Brady mustered up another lengthy drive that resulted in a three-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Julian Edelman, giving the Patriots the 28-24 lead with two minutes left.

Seattle had one last chance. The Seahawks made their way to midfield when Wilson and wide receiver Jermaine Kearse connected for a play that gives the “Immaculate Reception” a run for its money. Kearse and Patriots undrafted rookie cornerback Malcom Butler both contended for a pass thrown by Wilson. It was deflected and appeared to be incomplete, but bounced off of Kearse’s leg and arm before he was eventually able to catch it.

Flashbacks of Super Bowl XLII with David Tyree pinning the football to his helmet surely flew through the minds of Patriot players and fans alike. Once again the Patriots would be doomed by a miraculous play.

Seattle had the ball on the 1-yard line with under a minute left and the game was all but wrapped up for the Seahawks second title in as many years. All they had to do was hand the ball off to their All-Pro running back, Lynch.

Instead, Carroll defied all odds and called a passing play on second down. Unfortunately for Carroll, Wilson and the rest of the Seahawks, Butler saw the play coming, picking off Wilson and sealing the Patriots’ fourth Super Bowl title with Brady and Bill Belichick at the helm in New England.

HAYWOOD is the asst. sports editor.

]]>https://www.liberty.edu/champion/2015/02/pats-deflate-seahawks/feed/0Tich’s Takehttps://www.liberty.edu/champion/2015/02/tichs-take-14/
https://www.liberty.edu/champion/2015/02/tichs-take-14/#commentsTue, 03 Feb 2015 17:01:08 +0000https://www.liberty.edu/champion/?p=27644Continue reading]]>Super Bowl XLIX ended up being one of the best, most dramatic Super Bowls ever, once again proving one thing — Hollywood has nothing on sports.

The Super Bowl does everything big — extravagant commercials, mechanical lion-enhanced halftime shows and the actual game. But lately, when the lights are shining on the biggest stage in pro football, it has been the anonymous players who grab the spotlight.

Sure, everyone is going to be talking about whether Tom Brady is the best quarterback ever after winning his fourth Super Bowl ring. Bill Belichick will receive a similar treatment. The same kind of stuff that always gets talked about.

Legacies and whatnot. Blah, blah, blah.

Yet without an undrafted rookie corner making a break on a Russell Wilson pass with 20 seconds left, the Patriots would most likely have been locked in their Glendale hotel rooms Sunday night, depression-eating a tub of rocky road instead of celebrating hoisting the Lombardi trophy.

Trailing 28-24 with the ball at the one-yard line and time nearly exhausted, the Seahawks neglected to hand the ball off to their powerhouse back Marshawn Lynch, opting to let Wilson drop back and throw for the win instead. Big mistake. Patriots corner Malcolm Butler read the play perfectly, leaping in front of Seahawks receiver Ricardo Lockette, snatching the ball away for an interception. Ball game.
Things like this are why sports matter. Things like this make us care. Things like this make us cry.

How many people knew who Butler was before Sunday night’s game? His family, his teammates and some devoted Patriots fans, probably. I sure did not.

Who would have thought that Butler could even have a chance to make a play like that? A native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, Butler had almost seen football taken away from him multiple times growing up. According to Sporting News, Butler did not play his sophomore and junior seasons of high school ball because of academic troubles. And then he was kicked off the team at Hinds Community College, one of his few post-preps playing opportunities.

Butler ended up at West Alabama for his final two years of college, where he starred for the Tigers, enough for some NFL teams to notice. But still not noticed enough to get drafted.

The Patriots ended up signing Butler, playing him in 11 regular season games. Not exactly a key component in the Pats 12-4 campaign.
Still, Butler remained ready, seeing extra playing time in the Super Bowl after teammate Kyle Arrington got torched by Seahawks receiver Chris Matthews, who had four catches for 109 yards and a touchdown, during the game’s first three quarters.

His first NFL interception ended up being the Super Bowl-winning pick.

How can you not love that? If you have a soul, that makes you smile.

As I mentioned, the Super Bowl is not new to breeding the unlikeliest of heroes. Last year’s Super Bowl MVP was Malcolm Smith, not exactly the headliner of Seattle’s full-of-big-names defense. But it was Smith who returned a Peyton Manning interception 69 yards for a touchdown, forever etching his name into football lore.

The name David Tyree might ring a bell for Patriots fans. In Super Bowl XLII, with the Giants trailing the Patriots late in the game, Eli Manning tossed up a prayer in Tyree’s direction. Somehow, Tyree outwrestled Rodney Harrison for the football, pinning it against his helmet. A few players later, the Giants scored, ruining the Patriots’ perfect season.

Two seasons later, Tyree was out of the league. But he will always have that catch. And will always be a hero in New York.

A few years ago, Butler was playing football at a community college in Mississippi and now he is the toast of the entire city and on his way to Disneyland.

Defense wins championships. It may be the most overused saying in sports, but the Seattle Seahawks proved just how accurate it is in New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium Sunday, Feb. 2. The top-ranked Seahawks defense suffocated the Denver Broncos top-ranked offense and created turnovers, which led to points and resulted in a game that was just about as interesting as trying to watch turf grow or figure out what XLVIII adds up to in Roman numerals.

The Seahawks wasted no time scoring points in Super Bowl XLVIII, taking advantage of a bad Broncos snap to force a safety and using the ensuing possession to kick a field goal for a 5-0 lead. With the exception of a meaningless third-quarter Denver touchdown, the rest of the game became a Seahawks highlight tape, a 43-8
Seattle victory.

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning constantly dealt with pressure in the pocket and was hit almost every time he dropped back to pass. Although the Seahawks had already taken a 15-0 lead, linebacker and eventual Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith put the nail in Denver’s coffin and returned an intercepted Manning pass for a 69-yard touchdown.

At halftime, the Broncos found themselves looking at a 22-0 deficit. As if that were not a big enough problem, their only chance of getting back into the game was throwing against a defense known for its ferocious secondary. In the end, the challenge was too much for Manning, the regular season MVP, and the team that averaged a league-best 37.9 points per game.

Turnovers proved to be the Broncos Achilles’ heel, killing drives and ensuring that the commercials would be the most interesting part of the second half. Denver fumbled twice and threw two interceptions, while the Seahawks avoided turning the ball over entirely.

The Seahawks special teams unit also made an impact when Percy Harvin, who spent most of the season watching from the sidelines, returned the first kickoff of the second half 87 yards for a touchdown.

Football fans will look forward to a warmer game in 2015 when the University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, in Glendale, Ariz., will play host to Super Bowl XLIX.

The NFL is adored by millions of Americans because of the stories that are told throughout games and seasons. For years, the underdog finds a way to capture the heart of America by slaying the seemingly unstoppable force. Whether it is the New York Giants finding a way to beat the undefeated New England Patriots in 2008 or Kurt Warner’s final chance for Super Bowl glory with the Arizona Cardinals in 2009, the underdog always creates a connection between fans.

As fun as seeing “David” slaying “Goliath” can be, sometimes seeing the two best teams throughout the regular season meet for a chance to win the Lombardi Trophy is not such a bad thing.

This season, the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks were the best two teams all season long. Since the first week of the season when Peyton Manning decimated the Baltimore Ravens defense for seven touchdowns, the Broncos appearance in the Super Bowl seemed inevitable.

The Seahawks shared a common record with the Broncos, 13-3, but their path to that record was much different. The Broncos dominated teams with a record-setting offense, averaging 37.9 points per game, while the Seahawks led the league with a scintillating defense, allowing a mere 14.4 points per game.

The clash of styles is perhaps what makes this game as intriguing as any past Super Bowl. Not very often does the best offense face off against the best defense, and we should savor this opportunity to truly see the two best teams duke it out for the title.

When the two best teams collide, the statistics are always thoroughly examined and scrutinized, but in the end, the intangibles are what put one team over the top.

Two completely different characters lead the offense and defense of the Seahawks. Soft-spoken, second-year, quarterback Russell Wilson leads the Seahawks on offense, while the self-proclaimed “best corner in the game,” Richard Sherman, leads the stingy defense.

Ironically, Sherman’s professional wrestling-style postgame interview with Erin Andrews in which he exclaimed, “Don’t talk about me” has become the most talked about story leading up to the Super Bowl. The boisterous claims and remarks have generated even more buzz surrounding his matchup with Manning and the Broncos offense. Some have called Sherman arrogant and classless, leading them to root against the Seahawks, while some were led to root for the Seahawks, applauding Sherman for showing emotion and not giving a cliché postgame interview.

Whether you liked or disliked the Sherman interview, he has generated an interest in a game that some may not have cared about much before.

No matter how much talking is done before the game, what happens on the field is what really matters.

Yes, the Sherman-Manning matchup will be analyzed thousands of times on ESPN leading up to Sunday, but that matchup alone will not decide the game. The Seahawks defense is much more than Sherman, and the Broncos offense is much more than Manning.

Both are just one of 11 men on their respective units. Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor and Bobby Wagner are also important parts of the top-ranked Seahawks defense, which will be attempting to slow down the lethal receiving core of Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, Eric Decker and Julius Thomas of the Broncos.

However, just like any game that features two evenly matched opponents, the determining factor usually comes down to the unexpected play or player — the x-factor. Who would have predicted David Tyree would catch a football on his helmet, Jacoby Jones to have two touchdowns or the New Orleans Saints to attempt an onside kick to start the second half of a
Super Bowl?

Those unexpected heroes and plays are what make the Super Bowl unlike any other sporting event.

This year, expect the unexpected. Maybe Peyton Manning struggles in the cold weather and Knowshon Moreno runs wild on the Seahawks defense, or maybe Jermaine Kearse catches the game-winning touchdown for the Seahawks yet again.

Whatever the determining factor in the game may be, expect the game to be as competitive as most Super Bowls have been in recent memory. After all the talk and predictions, expect the defense of the Seahawks to be just good enough to squeak by the high-powered offense of the Broncos and walk away as Super Bowl Champions for the first time in franchise history.

Students in the Department of Digital Media and Communication Arts (DMCA) have accepted the challenge to compete in the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl VIII contest.

PARTY — Students pose after filming their Doritos party commercial. Photo provided

According to professor Pamela Miller, there were three groups in her COMS 483 Advanced Video Production class that chose to make a Doritos commercial in hopes of winning the contest.

Doritos’ official rules state that the grand prize winners will receive $1 million, the chance to work on the crew of Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” movie, a trip to Super Bowl XLVIII and their commercial shown during Super Bowl XLVIII.

“There were three groups and three options,” Miller said. “They all chose the same option. All three of the groups had creative ideas similar in theme – Doritos changes things.”

Of the three group’s, two submitted their final spot into the contest.

Lily Smith, the commercial’s director and writer, said her groups commercial, entitled “Doritos Brings Out the Fun in Everyone,” was submitted about three weeks ago.

Smith said the idea came to her the day she was to submit her idea to Miller.

“I was thinking about a party and what I had to take,” Smith said. “Then I got to thinking ‘What makes a party good? What if we made a commercial where the good stuff was actually Doritos instead of drugs or alcohol?’”

From there, her group developed the idea in preproduction. This process took about two weeks, Smith said.

Tyrone Neal, the commercial’s producer, said he believes “Doritos Brings Out the Fun in Everyone” was more original than the other submissions.

“If you notice, on other entries, everyone wants to sell the product by sex appeal, children, the nerdy guys, the office guys,” Neal said. “We went for kind of edgy, but yet still appropriate and has humor to it as well, with great product placement.”

The story line follows a boring college party that is energized by Doritos. An angry father, played by Liberty professor Dr. Carey Martin, returns home to find that his son is having an outrageous party. He quickly realizes the cause for all of the ruckus is Doritos, and he joins in on the fun.

According to Smith, the commercial once had enough votes to be ranked in the top 20 in the world, but has since lost ground. However, “Doritos Brings Out the Fun in Everyone” is currently among the entries that are most viewed and most rated, according to the Doritos website.

Bryan Croson, videographer, Dylan Sheldon, editor, and Gabe Henderson, creative assistant, worked with the technical aspect of the production, Smith said.
Greg Coleman, editor, said his group submitted a commercial entitled “The Struggle.”

“It’s a classic underdog tale,” Coleman said. “An underdog comes in eating Doritos. Doritos give him the confidence to beat (the arm wrestler). He beats him and walks away with two ladies on his side.”

Brain Shulda, director of “The Struggle,” said the idea was a group effort.

“(The idea) changed multiple times throughout,” Shulda said. “Even on the set we changed some ideas around.”

Shulda said production was completed all in one night at a warehouse in downtown Lynchburg. Video shooting lasted about eight hours, according to Shulda.
Coleman said as of last week, “The Struggle” had been viewed more than 500 times.

Both groups of students who submitted a commercial into the competition said they learned valuable lessons from this project.

Smith and Coleman said they learned how to lead effectively and work well with others.

“This project mainly taught me about planning,” Coleman said. “Preproduction is definitely where the bulk of your time needs to be. If you don’t have it planned out, you won’t be able to do things effectively.”

According to the Doritos commercial official rules, all entries must be submitted by Nov. 24, 2013.

To view and vote for the submitted Doritos commercials, visit doritos.com.

]]>https://www.liberty.edu/champion/2013/12/students-compete-in-doritos-contest/feed/0Super Bowl XLV: America’s Gamehttps://www.liberty.edu/champion/2011/02/super-bowl-xlv-america%e2%80%99s-game/
https://www.liberty.edu/champion/2011/02/super-bowl-xlv-america%e2%80%99s-game/#commentsTue, 08 Feb 2011 23:19:46 +0000http://www.liberty.edu/champion/?p=3938Continue reading]]>In all the hype building up to the Super Bowl, the only colors I heard about were green, black and yellow. Black and yellow, black and yellow. Green and yellow, green and yellow.

But Sunday’s game reminded me of one color that no one mentioned. Blue.

The Green Bay Packers, named so because of Green Bay’s Indian Packing Co.’s contribution of uniforms to the upstart team, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose name was changed from Pirates to Steelers in the 40s to reflect the Pittsburgh community, represent the epitome of America’s blue-collared workers.

Football became on Sunday what football has always been about and has always been for.

The nondescript, John Doe, 2.5 kids and a mortgage middle-class. The “roll up your sleeves and get it done” crowd. You know. Levi’s commercial kind of stuff.

Sunday’s game was a game of muscle, grit and every bit of blue collar as one could stuff into it. Beard included. Brett Kiesel.

Sure, Santonio Holmes’ catch in the last seconds of Super Bowl XLIII was exciting. Sean Peyton’s decision to kick an on-sides kick caught us all off-guard. David Tyree’s famous helmet catch was unbelievable.

But in Green Bay, Pittsburgh and all of the other blue-collar towns in America, exciting is Clay Matthews forcing a fumble.

Rashard Mendenhall barreling over defenders into the end zone. Exciting is when the whistle blows.

The workday is over.

Sunday, the game was over. And the Lombardi trophy was home again. Football rose in industrial Midwest mud lots, and now settles again in blue collar Green Bay.

]]>https://www.liberty.edu/champion/2011/02/super-bowl-xlv-america%e2%80%99s-game/feed/0Super Bowl XLV: A discussion of cheese and steelhttps://www.liberty.edu/champion/2011/01/super-bowl-xlv-a-discussion-of-cheese-and-steel/
https://www.liberty.edu/champion/2011/01/super-bowl-xlv-a-discussion-of-cheese-and-steel/#commentsWed, 26 Jan 2011 02:03:32 +0000http://www.liberty.edu/champion/?p=3345Continue reading]]>From the early domination by Green Bay in the 60s to the reign of Lynn Swan and Mean Joe Green in the 70s, Green Bay’s three championships and the Steelers’ six are cornerstone football history.

Christopher Columbus and the Declaration of Independence. However, never in the 45-year history of the Super Bowl have these two franchises met. This year, two of the NFL’s most storied and historic teams will meet in Dallas, ironically home to Pittsburgh’s ’96, ’79 and ’76 Super Bowl rival.

No classic frozen tundra, rather an air-conditioned dome. No Troy Aikman and Larry Brown to steal a championship from the Steelers, and finally no Brett Favre to steal one from Green Bay (yes, that is a Favre rag).

It’s gotta be the hair

A revived Steel Curtain led by a healthy Troy Polamalu looms waiting for Aaron Rodgers and company.

Polamalu racked up some 63 tackles in the regular season and seven in the post season, but what is most dangerous about him is his ability to make big plays. Right, Joe Flacco, week 13?

His ability to read quarterbacks has allowed him to grab seven interceptions in the 2010 season, and his ability to read the run and explode into running backs has spotlighted him as one of the most dangerous strong safeties in the game.

On the other defensive unit taking the field in Dallas, Green Bay linebackers A.J. Hawk and Clay Matthews look like WWE stars with helmets. And are about as nice too. In the post-season, Hawk and Matthews have combined for 24 tackles. Matthews is responsible for 3.5 sacks. Not to mention his 13.5 registered during the regular season.

With Hawk daring backs to run down the middle and Matthews blowing by blocks on the edge, quarterbacks have to think quickly and often throw quicker. Gift wrap for Charles Woodson.

Big Ben and Mr. Rodgers

Ironically, the two elite quarterbacks to be featured in Dallas mirror every bit of their namesakes. Standing like the 316 foot clock tower as a pocket collapses around him, Ben Roethlisberger is known for his ability to make throws with 300-pound nose guards climbing on his back.

Roethlisberger threw for 3,200 yards in the 2010 season, including 17 touchdown throws after serving a four game suspension. With only five interceptions on the year (regular season) Roethlisberger has shown developed decision making (on the field, at least) and has donned the “leader” cap for his team well, albeit flipped to the back, bill bent for “the look.”

Virtually Roethlisberger’s stylistic opposite, Aaron Rodgers has quietly commanded one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL. Rodgers threw for just shy of 4,000 yards and completed 65 percent of his passes to the tune of a passer rating of 101.2 (regular season). In addition to his aerial supremacy, Rodgers was the second leading rushing quarterback in the league, racking up 356 yards on the ground for four touchdowns. Rodgers’ deadliness with a football is quietly touted. A good match for his cardigan and coffee persona.